Automatic screen for the slots for edgewise-moving doors.



No. 764,000. PATENTED JULY 5,1904. A. NEWELL & D. SUHUYLER.

AUTOMATIG SCREEN FOR THE SLOTS FOR EDGEWISE MOVING DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

mmwkov 5 w UNITED STATES Patented July 5,. 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

' AUGUSTUS NETVELL, OF PASADENA, AND DANIEL SCHUYLER, OF LOS AN GELES,CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE PERFECT SLIDING DOOR COMPANY, OF LOSANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- FORNIA.

AUTOMATIC SCREEN FOR THE SLOTS FOR EDGEWlSE-MOVING DOORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,000, dated July 5,1 904.

Application filed March 22, 1901. Serial No. 52,431. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUGUSTUS NEWELL, residing at Pasadena, and DANIELSoI-IUYLER, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles andState of California, citizens of the United States, have invented a newand useful Automatic Screen for the Slots for Edgewise- Moving Doors, ofwhich the following is a specification. 4

The object of this invention is to give a novel finished appearance tosliding-door frames by closing the opening necessary for the passage ofthe hangers or supports of the door, thereby to avoid unsightliness andto prevent drafts and the admission of dust.

This invention consists in employing, in connection with anedgewise-moving door, means for closing the slot in which the door orits supports move when the door is opened, so that the door and suchmeans, in conjunction with each other, constantly conceal the partsbehind the slot, thus to always preserve a sightly appearance. This ispreferably done by means of a strip to close such slot between the doorand the door-jamb. The extent of the portion of the strip which is inthe slot at any time depends upon the distance between the door and thejamb, and provision must be made for taking care of the portion of thestrip not required for closing the slot when the door is only partiallyor not at all open. Such provision might be made by providing a chamberin the door for chambering one end of the strip, the other end of thestrip being connected with the doorframe or other portion of the Wall;but in the preferable way of carrying out the invention the unusedportion of the strip will be chambered in the door-frame or in the wallof the building. This chamber may be arranged either on, above, or belowthe level of the slot which is to be closed by the strip, and variousmeans may be employed for moving the strip as the door moves. Forexample, the strip might be curved up within a chamber in the wall andthe outer end of the strip be brought against the edge of the door oragainst the support of the door and held in contact therewith by thegravity of the upturned portion of the strip, thus to follow the door asthe door opens and to be pushed in and up as the door closes.

Preferably the invention is carried out by forming a passage in thedoor-frame through or above the door-jamb and fastening a strip to thedoor to play through said passage to slide'in the way in which the doorslides to close the same after the door as the door opens. The strip maybe actuated by gravity in one direction and by the movement of the doorin the other direction, or a spring device or other appliance may beemployed to move the device in a direction opposite to that in which itis moved by the door. Preferably the strip is a flexible strip of paper,celluloid, or other suitable material; but a strip of wood, metal, orcloth, or any other material or fabric which will be found suitable bythe constructor may be used. Preferably the strip is flexible and isallowed to run down in a vacant space or chamber Within or behind the jamb. A spring take-up may be arranged within the chamber to take care ofthe strip as the door closes; but it is suflicient for the purposes ofthis application to show the strip in its flexible form to bend down inthe chamber behind the door-post.

The invention also includes means for providing a smooth and adjustablefinishing-floor for the passage through or over the jamb.

It also includes other features and details of construction, which willhereinafter be described.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure I is an elevation showing a wall with a door anddoorway'furnished with this invention. Portions of the door frame andwall are broken away to expose parts that would otherwise be hidden.Fig. II is a perspective fragmental sectional detail to illustrate theconstruction of the device. Fig. III is a fragmental sectional elevationon line III III, Fig. I, looking toward the door. Fig. IV is a sectionalelevation on line IV IV, Fig.

I, looking toward the door-jamb. Fig. V is a plan on line V V, Fig. IV,reduced scale. Fig. VI is a fragmental detail showing the adjustablescreen-strip with its reinforcement.

1 indicates the door.

2 indicates the slot or way in which the door moves.

3 indicates a strip fastened to the door and sliding in the way 2 toclose the same after the door as the door opens.

4 indicates grooves along the inner faces of the walls of the way andforming lateral extensions of said way to receive the edges of thestrip, which is fastened to the door and runs in the grooves.

5 indicates the door-frame, provided with the way 2 and with a passage6, extending through the door-jamb and communicating with the way 2 andwith a space 7 behind the door-jamb.

1n the drawings the strip is shown as flexible, and in practice thisflexible strip will bend down behind the jamb by the force of gravityand will run up and down in the chamber 7 therefor. The strip 3 ispreferably bent at its outer end, as shown at 8, and is preferablyfastened against the door by a screw 9, which passes through a slot 10in the downwardly-bent portion of the screen-strip.

11 indicates a washer to cover the slot 10 and to afford a strong holdfor the screw on the bent portion 8.

12 indicates a reinforcing member, of celluloid, paper, or othersuitable material, bent to conform to the bent portion of thescreenstrip 3 and to extend therealong a short distance from the bend,thus to give greater strength and rigidity to the fastening. The slot 10is vertical, so that the screen-strip 3 can be adjusted vertically toregister truly with the grooves 4 in the head-stops 13 of thedoor-frame.

In order to allow the constructor to form the passage 6 through thedoor-jamb and post without specially smoothing the same, afinishing-floor 14 is provided, the same being a strip of celluloid,paper, or other suitable material, bent at its outer end to form adownwardly-extending portion 15 to fit in front of the door-jamb 16.This downwardly-bent portion 15 affords means for adjustably fasteningthe floor 14 at any desired height, so as to support the screen-strip tocause it to register truly with the grooves 4. This downwardly-bentportion 15 may be fastened in any suitable manner. It is preferablyfastened by the vertical stops 17 of the door, which are fastened uponthe door-j amb to press against the outer edges of said downwardlybentportion 15. The inner end of the strip is preferably downwardly curved,as shown at 18, in order to form a smooth guide and support for thedownwardly-curved inner portion of the screen-strip. This downward curveof the floor and of the flexible screen-strip will ordinarily beproduced by the action of the force of gravity upon the limber extendingportions of said members 3 and 14.

In practice the front edge of the floor 14 will be brought to theappropriate height to engage with and uphold the screen-strip 3 where itenters the passage 6, and it is immaterial whether the floor inside thepassage is level or sloping. When the parts are in position as shown inthe drawings, the sliding door will be operated in the ordinary mannerand the heretofore unsightly opening above the door will be concealed bythe screen-strip. The celluloid, paper, or other screen-strip willpreferably be colored to harmonize with the general finish of thedoorway.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Lettors Patent of the UnitedStates, is 1. The combination with a door-frame having a slot in which adoor or its support moves; of a door and moving means constructed andarranged in conjunction with each other to constantly conceal the partsbehind the slot.

2. The combination with a door-frame having a slot in which adoor or itssupport moves; of a door and a strip constructed and arranged inconjunction with each other to constantly conceal the parts behind theslot.

3. The combination with an edgewise-moving door and its frame, of aflexible strip connected with the door for closing the slot in the framein which the door or its support moves.

4. The combination of a door; a frame provided with a way in which thedoor or its support moves; and a strip fastened to the door and slidingin the way to close the same after the door as the door opens.

5. The combination of an edgewisc-moving door; a frame provided with away in which the door or its support moves, and with grooves along theinner faces of the walls of the way; and a strip fastened to the doorand running in said grooves.

6. The combination of a door-frame provided with a way along which thedoor or its support moves, and with a passage extending through or abovethe door-jamb and communicating with the way and with a space behindsaid jamb; a door to move along said way; and a flexible strip fastenedto the door and extending along the way and through or over thedoor-jamb to chamber in the space behind the jamb.

7. The combination with a door-frame having a way and a passageextending through or over the door-jamb and communicating with the way;of a door to move along said way; and a thin strip sliding in said wayand extending through said. passage and bent against the edge of thedoor and fastened to the door by said bent portion.

8. The combination of a door-frame provided with a way; door-stopsforming a part of said frame and grooved on their inner facesrespectively to form lateral extensions of said way; a passage beingprovided through or over the door-jamb and communicating with saidextensions; a door to move along said way; and a strip fastened to theedge of the door and mounted to slide in the grooves and through saidpassage in or over the jamb.

9. The combination with a door-frame having a way and apassagewhichextends through or over the door-jamb and communicates with said way; ofa door moving in said way; and a thin strip sliding in said way andextending through said passage and bent against the edge of the door andfurnished with a vertical slot in the bent portion; and a screw passingthrough said slot to adjustably fasten the bent portion of the strip tothe door.

10. A slot-closing screen for an edgewisemoving door consisting of astrip of celluloid, stiff paper, or the like flexible material, bent ata right angle at one end; and a reinforcement of like material bent at alike angle and cemented to the body and bent portion of the strip andextending a short distance only from the bend. I

11. The combination of a door-frame having a passage extending throughor above the door-jamb to receive a sliding strip; and a strip extendingto form a floor for said passage and being bent at its outer end toextend down over the face of the door-jamb to afford means foradjustable attachment to the doorjamb whereby the floor of the way ismade adjustable to different heights.

12. The combination with a door-frame having a passage through or abovethe door-jamb, of a strip forming the floor of said passage and bentdownward over the face of the jamb, the stops of said jamb beingfastened over the edge of said downwardly-bent portion to adjustablyhold the same in position.

13. The combination with adoor-framehaving a passage extending throughor above the door-jamb to receive a sliding strip, of a flexible stripextending to form a floor for said passage and being bent at its outerend to extend down over the face of the door-jamb and being curveddownward behind the door-jamb to form a guide and support for a flexiblestrip.

14. The combination with a door-frame having an overhead slot in which adoor or its support moves; of an edgewise-moving door supported throughsaid slot and other means constructed and arranged in conjunction witheach other to constantly conceal the parts behind the slot.

15. A door-frame having a slot in which a part connected with a doormoves, and adoor which at times conceals the slot, and moving means inconjunction with the door for closing the slot when the door is notconcealing the same.

16. The combination of a door; aframe provided with a way in which thedoor or its connections moves; and moving means for closing unoccupiedportions of the way.

17. Adoor held by parts which pass along a way and moving means forclosing the way after said parts have passed therealong.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles,

California, this 15th day of March, 1901.

AUGUSTUS NEW ELL. DANIEL SCHUYLER. Witnesses:

JAMES R. TowNsEND, JULIA TOWNSEND.

